Agriculture & Forestry, Vol. 68 Issue 2: 7-21, 2022, Podgorica 7 Rodrigues Neto, M.R.; Musselli, D.G.; Lense, G.H.E.; Servidoni, L.E.; Stefanidis, S.; Spalevic, V.; Mincato, R.L. (2022). Soil loss modelling by the IntErO model - Erosion Potential Method in the Machado River Watershed, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Agriculture and Forestry, 68 (2): 7-21. doi:10.17707/AgricultForest.68.2.01 DOI: 10.17707/AgricultForest.68.2.01 Manoel Ribeiro RODRIGUES NETO 1 , Denis Giovanni MUSSELLI 1 , Guilherme Henrique Expedito LENSE 1 , Lucas Emanuel SERVIDONI 1 , Stefanos STEFANIDIS 2 , Velibor SPALEVIC 3 and Ronaldo Luiz MINCATO 1 SOIL LOSS MODELLING BY THE IntErO MODEL - EROSION POTENTIAL METHOD IN THE MACHADO RIVER BASIN, MINAS GERAIS, BRAZIL SUMMARY Water erosion has radically affected the productive capacity of soils, especially in regions with a tropical climate, causing environmental and social damage, such as reduced agricultural productivity and siltation of water bodies. The objective of this research was to estimate soil losses with using the IntErO model - Erosion Potential Method in the River Machado Watershed (MRW), South Minas Gerais State (Brazil), with the idea to identify areas of increased soil losses due to water erosion, contributing with the research activities to the environmental planning in order to prevent land degradation. The Machado River basin was selected as study area because it is an important Sustainable Use Conservation Unit in Minas Gerais, which has abundant water resources, rich biodiversity, and intensive agricultural production. The estimated soil losses for the year 2020 were calculated, using the IntErO model - Erosion Potential Method, in a Geographic Information System (GIS) environment. The MRW presented an average soil loss of 18.2 Mg ha -1 yr -1 , and a total of about 2 million tons per year. In about 85% of the watershed, soil losses were greater than the tolerable limits, what leads to the conclusion that there is a need to adopt a comprehensive soil conservation management plan to reduce water erosion. The highest average soil losses occurred in areas of exposed soil as well as sporadic agricultural and pasture, and are concentrated in the southern sector of the studied area. The results obtained can support the environmental planning aimed at the conservationist use of the soil in the MRW. Key words: Soil Conservation; Soil Erosion; IntErO model; EPM; Environmental Planning; GIS; Nature Conservation; Brazil. 1 Manoel Ribeiro Rodrigues Neto, Denis Giovanni Musselli, Guilherme Henrique Expedito Lense, Lucas Emanuel Servidoni, Ronaldo Luiz Mincato (corresponding author: ronaldo.mincato@unifal- mg.edu.br), Federal University of Alfenas, UNIFAL-MG, Alfenas, Minas Gerais, BRAZIL; 2 Stefanos Stefanidis, Laboratory of Mountainous Water Management and Control, Faculty of Forestry and Natural Environment, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, GREECE; 3 Velibor Spalevic, University of Montenegro, Biotechnical Faculty, Podgorica, MONTENEGRO; Notes: The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest. Authorship Form signed online. Recieved:09/04/2022 Accepted:12/06/2022